RICHARD J. CODEY
ACTING GOVERNOR / STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES
DIVISION OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES
PO BOX 726
TRENTON, NJ 08625-0726 / James M. Davy

COMMISSIONER

Carol Grant
DIRECTOR
TEL. (609) 987-0800

July 21, 2005

Dear Colleague:

As you are aware, Danielle’s Law became effective April 23, 2004. The accompanying regulations will become effective on August 1, 2005.

Under N.J.A.C. 10:42A-2.1 (h) you must submit a procedure to the Department of Human Services that requires a 911 call immediately be made in the event of a life-threatening emergency by August 31, 2005. In addition, you must certify, in writing to the Division, by September 30, 2005, that all your staff have been trained in these procedures.

The Division of Developmental Disabilities has developed a training curriculum that it will provide to all operators licensed under N.J.A.C. 10:44B, Community Care Residences. The Division has also decided that it will use this training for staff in the DevelopmentalCenters, Regional Offices of Community Services, Bureau of Guardianship, Developmental Disabilities Licensing, the Special Response Unit and the Division’s Central Office.

The Division will make this training material available to you at no cost except that you will need to duplicate the material according to the number of staff you will train. If you use this training, the review by the Department of your procedure will be expedited. You will, of course, need to tailor your procedures to your organizational structure.

Please use this curriculum. If you do not use this curriculum your procedure must include the rationale for choosing another method of training and document the source of that training.

In order to decide if you will use this curriculum, the Division has scheduled a presentation of this training on the following dates at the locations listed below. Please send no more than two representatives to one of these trainings in order to review this curriculum. Call Ms. Juanita Handon at 609-987-0939 to register.

August 2, 2005 at the ARC of Morris County, St. Elizabeth’s College

Morning Session – 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Afternoon Session - 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

August 11, 2005 at the Vineland Developmental Center, East Campus Auditorium

Morning Session - 10:00 a.m. to12:30 p.m.

Afternoon Session - 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Remember, if you operate a residential program licensed under NJAC 10:44A, 10:44C or 10:47, you will need to submit your procedure to Developmental Disabilities Licensing by August 31, 2005. If you operate both a residential and a day program, your submission will satisfy the requirements for both. The office of Developmental Disabilities Licensing has developed an Evaluator’s Tool to assist you in this task. A copy of the Evaluator’s Tool is enclosed. Please ensure that your procedure addresses all elements contained in this Evaluator’s Tool.

If you operate a day program under contract with the Division but do not operate a residential program, you should submit your procedures to the Division Director by August 31, 2005.

Your certification that all staff has been trained should be provided to Jeffrey Robinson, Director, Office of Quality Improvement in the Division of Developmental Disabilities by close of business on September 30, 2005.

If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Robinson at 609-987-2041.

Sincerely,

Gregory Fenton

Deputy Director